Reel container



R. w. JENSEN REEL CONTAINER July s, 1969 Filed Feb. e, lev

July s, 1969 R. w. JENSENv REEL CONTAINER sheet of 5 Filed Feb. 8, 1967 l. .l l. s. I. v mv R .Q R Q S P1.,

July 8, 1969. R. w. JENSEN 3,454,153

REEL CONTAINER Filed Feb. e, 1967 sheet 3 of s J9 f/wewron.. 77 dinan/ld .7e/nre v July 8, 1969 R. w. JENSEN REEL CONTAINER Sheet 4 I Filed Feb. va, 1957 R. W. JENSEN REEL CONTAINER July s, 1969 'sheet `5 f5 Filed Feb. 8, 1957 l MM5/vine.- edy/rran/, 159,3, Aia ,wrm/wr;

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United States Patent Oiiice 3,454,153 Patented July 8, 1969 3,454,153 REEL CONTAINER Raymond W. Jensen, Marina Del Rey, Calif., assignor to Comdata Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 8, 1967. Ser. No. 614.639 Int. Cl. B65h 55/00, 75/02; B65d 85/04, 85/66 U.S. Cl. 206-52 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a reel container which comprises rst and second container sections and an operating member secured to the lirst container section for movement relative thereto between a shipping position, a locking position, `and a releasing position. A container locking means is provided for lockingly interconnecting the container sections when the operating member is in either the shipping or locking position and for releasing to allow separation of the container sections when the operating member is in the releasing position. An operating member lock releasably locks the operating member in the shipping position. A continuous strap exten-ds around the interior of the container and is exposed at the exterior of the container at several spaced areas therealong to form several handles for the container.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a container for shipping and storing articles and more particularly to a container adapted for shipping and storing reels of tape, such as video tape.

`One prior art type container for storing tape includes two container sections and locking means for connecting the two container sections together. The locking means provides only a single lock and little force is required to unlock the container. One disadvantage of the prior art construction is that this container cannot be safely shipped without further packaging of the container within an additional enclosure. The reason for this is the likelihood that the locking means will release during the transporting of the container, thereby allowing separation of the container sections and resulting in damage to or contamination of the delicate tape stored therein. Further diiiiculties are encountered in attempting to mail this type of container in that the postal authorities frequently prefer or require that such containers have a double lock to guard against inadvertent opening of the container.

Video tape containers are manually picked up very often and sometimes may be picked up and set down four and ve times daily for prolonged periods of time. Each such container has a suitcase type handle by which such container is picked up and carried. These suitcase type handles are attached to the container along relatively small attaching areas and this causes stress concentrations at the attaching areas wherever the handle is used to support the container. These `stress concentrations oftentimes cause structural failure of the handle or the portions of the container to which the handle is attached. Such structural failure prematurely terminates the useful life of the container and if the structural failure results in dropping of the container, the delicate tape carried therein may be damaged. These suitcase type handles are also undesirable in that only one is provided for each container, and this reduces the number of orientations which such container may have on a storage shelf and still maintain the handle facing outwardly to allow the container to be easily picked up.

26 Claims Summary of the invention According to the present invention, a tape container is provided which can be used for both shipping and storage of the tape and no additional packaging of the container is required for shipment through the mail. This is accomplished by providing a strong inexpensive container with a simple inexpensive double lock feature that positively prevents inadvertent opening of the container.

The present invention also includes a novel handle means which is particularly adapted for use on a rcel container. This handle is preferably in the form of a `strap that extends continuously around the interior of the container but is exposed at various exterior portions of the container to provide a plurality of handles for such container. This type of handle is very strong and is not subject to structural failure, even under prolonged use, primarily because of the relatively large area of contact between the strap and the container which is supported thereby.

The invention may include rst and second container sections and releasable connecting means or container locking means to lock these container sections together. An operating member is secured to the first container section for movement relative thereto between first and second positions. Releasable locking means or an operating member lock is provided which is responsive to the operating member being in the rst position for automatically locking the operating member in the rst position. The container locking means is preferably responsive to the operating member being in the rst position to lockingly interconnect the container sections and responsive to the operating member being in the second position to allow separation of the container sections. Thus, the operation of the container locking means is automatic upon movement of the operating member to the first position.

More particularly, the operating member is pivotally mounted on the iirst container section and is movable between a shipping position, a locking position, and a releasing position. The container lock is operative to lockingly interconnect the container sections when the operating member is in either the shipping or locking positions and allows separation of the container sections when the operating member is in the releasing position. The operating member lock is operative only when the operating member is in the shipping position to automatically lock the operating member in t-he shipping position. Thus, the container of the present invention is provided with a double lock for use when the container is used as a shipping container. However, When the container is used purely for storage, the second lock, i.e., the operating member lock, is inoperative so that the container is either locked by a single lock or not locked at all.

A simple and inexpensive manner of obtaining this desired result is to secure an annular locking member to the first container section and utilize biasing means for urging the locking member outwardly away from the lirst container section. Preferably, the movable operating member is rotatably mounted within the annular locking member and has a latching portion overlying at least a portion of the locking member and urging the locking member toward the rst container section against the force of the biasing means. The locking member has a projection thereon which is lockingly engageable with the latching portion of the movable operating member in the shipping position to prevent pivotal movement of the operating member in one direction and abutment means are provided on the movable operating member and on the first container section for preventing movement of the movable operating member in the other direction. Thus, to move the operating member from the shipping position it is only necessary to depress the locking member until the latching portion of the operating member clears the projection on the locking member. When this occurs, the movable member can be pivoted to either the locking or releasing position. With this construction, it is apparent that inadvertent opening of the container is virtually impossible because in order to open the container it is necessary to simultaneously depress the locking member -and pivot the movable operating member.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of a continuous elongated exible member or strap which extends at least a substantial distance around the interior of the peripheral -wall of the container. The strap engages a relatively large area of the container so that the strap is subjected to relatively low stress and is thereby not subject to structural failure eyen during prolonged use. The strap is exposed at the exterior of the container at several dilerent areas to provide a plurality of handles for the container. It has been found that the strap may be quickly and inexpensively constructed by merely flattening a plastic tube.

The invention, both vas to its organization and method of operation, together with further features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brie]c descriptionv of the drawings FIG. l is a plan view of a container constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the container.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 9 and illustrating the device in the shipping position.

FIG. 5 is -a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5 5 of FIG. 10 and showing the device in the releasing position.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the operating member lock and adjacent portions of the container.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line S-S of FIG. 1 and showing a detail of the locking member and biasing means.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the positions of the movable components of the container in the shipping position.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 with the container in the releasing position.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-3 thereof, reference numeral 15 designates a reel container constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. As best seen in FIG. 3, the reel container includes a lower container section 17 which forms an open-ended receptacle and an upper container section 19 which serves, in effect, as the lid for the lower container section. The container 15 is preferably generally rectangular in plan with attened covers as shown in FIG. 1 and is preferably constructed of .a strong lightweight material, such as plastic or lightweight metal.

The lower container section 17 has a bottom wall 21, an upstanding peripheral wall 23, and an annular upstanding inner wall formed integrally with the bottom walls and of a height somewhat less than the height of the peripheral wall. As shown in FIG. 1, the inner wall is circular in plan and approaches the peripheral wall 23 at several points therealong. The inner wall 25 is adapted to surround an annular reel 27 (FIG. 3) of material, such as video tape.

The peripheral wall 23 is connected to the inner wall 25 `at four places by wall sections or webs 29 which extend inwardly from the peripheral wall 23 and form together with the inner wall 25, a pair of recesses 31 on opposite sides of the container 15. Similarly, the peripheral wall 23 has oppositely located indented wall sections 33 forming smaller recesses 35. Each of the webs 29 is provided with a slot 37 and each of the indented wall sections 33 is provided with a pair of opposed slots 39.

An important feature of this invention is an elongated continuous flexible member or strap 41 lwhich is formed into a loop and extends completely around the interior of the peripheral wall 23 and around the exterior of the inner wall 25. As shown in FIG. 1, the strap 41 extends through the slots 37 and 39 and through two narrow gaps 43 between the peripheral wall 23 and the inner wall 25. The strap 41 is exposed at each of the recesses 31 and 35 to form two relatively large carrying handles 45 and two smaller shelf handles 47. The handles 45 and 47 are preferably spaced somewhat from the innermost surface of the recesses 31 and 35 so that easy access to the underside of these handles is provided. The strap 41 engages the inner wall 25 over a relatively large area as shown in FIG. 1 and also engages the several webs 29 and indented wall sections 33 so that the stress on the strap 41 is maintained at a minimum. Although the strap 41 may be formed in various ways, it is preferred to fabricate the strap from a tube of plastic material. The tube is then flattened to provide a strap having a double thickness.

The lower container section 17 has an upwardly extending axial cylindrical boss 49, the lower end of which is preferably closed by a cap 51 (FIG. 3) which is secured thereto. Sealing rings 53, 55 and 57 are provided at the upper ends of the boss 49, the inner wall 25, and the peripheral wall 23, respectively.

With further reference to FIG. 3, the upper container section 19 has a depending cylindrical inner wall 59 that interlocks with the inner wall 25 in tongue-in-groove fashion as shown in FIG. 3, A peripheral retaining ange 61 retains the sealing ring 57 in position. The sealing rings 55 and 57 and the interlocking relationship between the inner walls 25 and 59 assure that the interior of the container 15 will remain substantially dust-tight.

The upper container section 19 has an axially located stepped section 63 which provides an outer shoulder 65 and an inner shoulder 67 and denes a central recess 69. The stepped section 63 has an inner annular portion 71 having three radial passageways 73 (FIGS. 4, 5, 9, and l0 therein) for retaining locking balls 75- The lower side of the shoulder 67 engages the sealing ring 53 to form a tight seal.

A movable operating member 77 is mounted as more fully described hereinbelow for limited pivotal movement within the stepped section 63 of the upper container section 19. The operating member 77 seats on the shoulder 67 of the upper container section 19 and is held within the stepped section 63 by a retainer 79 which is engageable with the innermost end 81 of the stepped section 63 and which is secured to the operating member 77 by a screw 83 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The operating member 77 has a cam section 85 adjacent the inner end thereof and the cam section provides three each releasing grooves 87, locking grooves 89, and shipping grooves 91 (FIGS. 3, 9 and 10).

The cam section 85 is designed to cooperate with the balls 75 and either force these balls radially outwardly beneath a locking ange 93 on the lower container section 17 to thereby lockingly interconnect the container sections 17 and 19 or to allow these balls 75 to be retracted radially inwardly in their passages 73 to allow separation of the container sections. Thus, in the shipping position (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5), the shipping groove 91 engages the balls 75 to cam the latter radially outwardly beneath the locking flange 93 to hold the container sections 17 and 19 together. If the operating member 77 is pivoted to the locking position thereof in which the locking groove 89 confronts the balls 75, the balls 75 will remain beneath the flange 93 to continue to secure the container sections 17 and 19 together. If, however, the operating member 77 is rotated further to the releasing position in which, until the releasing grooves 87 confront their respective balls 75 (FIGS. 5 and l0), the releasing grooves, which are relatively large, permit the balls to be retracted inwardly in their respective passageways 73. The balls are, therefore, retracted from beneath the locking flange 73 to permit separation of the container sections 17 and 19. The locking groove 89 and the shipping groove 91 serve to advise the user of the container when the operating member 77 is in the locking and shipping positions, respectively.

One of the features of this invention is the provision of releasable locking means or an operating member lock for automatically locking the operating member in the shipping positionl With reference to FIGS. 3 and 6, it can be seen that the shoulder 65 is provided with a circular channel 95 in which is seated a marcel wire spring 97. As shown in FIG. 6, the marcel spring is generally circular in plan and wave-like in elevation and extends upwardly out of the channel 95. The upper container section 19 also has a wall section 99 which depends from the shoulder 65. Four lugs or abutments 101 extend in the axial direction along the wall section 99 and project radially inwardly therefrom a small distance. As shown in FIG. 7, the abutments 101 are preferably spaced circumferentially from each other varying distances.

FIG. 6 also illustrates a locking member 103 which has an annular disk-shaped portion 105 and a depending band portion 107. The band portion 107 has four downwardly opening notches 109 therein which are spaced circumferentially from each other distances which correspond to the circumferential spacing between the abutments 101. In the assembled condition, the disk portion 105 confronts the shoulder 65 of the upper container section 19 and the band portion 107 is received within the wall section 99 (FIG. 7) with the upper ends of the abutments 101 being received in the notches 109. The interengagement between the upper ends of the abutments 101 and the notches 109 prevents relative angular movement between the locking member 103 and the upper container section 19, but allows axial movement of the member 103. As best seen in FIG. 8, the disk portion 105 is supported by the marcel spring 97, and the locking member 103 is movable axially toward the shoulder 65 against the biasing force of the spring 97.

With reference to FIGS. l, 8, 9 and 10, it can be seen that the locking member 103 provides a pair of diametrically opposed upwardly extending projections 111. The locking member 103 is preferably formed of a lightweight metal and the projections 111 can be easily integrally formed therein. The unequal spacing between the abutments 101 and the notches 109 provide a means for indexing the locking member 103 so that the locking member and the projections 111 thereon will always be assembled in the same position relative to the upper container section 19.

With reference to FIGS. 4-7, the operating member 77 has a cup-shaped portion 113 immediately above the cam section 85 thereof. A pair of diametrically opposed stops 115 are formed on the operating member 77 and project radially outwardly of the cup-shaped section 113. In the assembled condition, the cup-shaped section 113 is supported by or closely adjacent the shoulder 67 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The operating member 77 is inserted into the annular locking member 103 and into the stepped section 63 of the upper container section 19 with the stops 115 arranged relative to the abutments 101 to permit approximately 90 degrees of rotation of the operating member relative to the upper container section (FIG. 7).

IAs best seen in FIGS. 4, 5, and 10, the operating member 77 provides an upwardly opening axial cylindrical recess 117 in which a handle unit 119 is provided. The handle unit 119 extends diametrically across the recess 117 in spaced relationship to a substantial area of the axially extending Wall portion of the cup-shaped portion 113 and provides means for turning of the operating member between the several positions thereof. The handle unit 119 is secured to the operating 'member 77 and forms a portion thereof. In the embodiment shown, the handle unit 119 has a pair of legs 121 which snugly straddle an elongated protrusion 123 (FIG. 4) formed integrally with the cup-shaped portion 113. The handle unit 119 has a horizontal member 125 extending along the upper ends of the legs 121. The horizontal member 125 has end extensions which form a pair of llatching portions 127 (FIGS. 1, 9 and 10). The latching portions 127 overhang and engage portions of -the disk portion 105 of the locking member 103.

The operating member -77 is retained within the upper container section 19 by Ithe retainer 79. The retainer 79 has a peripheral flange 129 which engages the innermost end 81 of the stepped section `63 of the upper containel section 19. This prevents the balls 75 from falling out of the lower end of the passageway 73 and also causes the latching portions 129 to bear downwardly against the disk port-ion of the locking member 103. This retains the locking member 103 lto the remainder of the container 15 and also urges 4the locking member 103 axially inwardly toward the shoulder 65 against the biasing force of the spring 97. Thus, in the assembled condition, the spring 97 is axially compressed and urges the locking member 103 axially outwardly Iaway from the container section 19.

As indicated hereinabove, the operating member 77 is movable between a shipping position, a locking position, and a releasing position. The shipping position ofthe operating member is shown in FIGS. l, 4, 7 and 9. In the shipping position, as described hereinabove, each of the shipping grooves 91 engages its respective ball 75 and urges the latter radially outwardly beneath the locking flange 93 to lockingly interconnect the container sections 17 and 19.

The operating member lock is operative to hold the operating member in the shipping position. This lock includes the projections 111, the latching por-tions 127, the abutments 101, and the stops 115. In the shipping position, counterclockwise rotation of the operating member 77 is prevented by the engagement of the latching portions 127 of the operating member with the projections 111 on the locking member 103. As the locking member cannot rotate relative to Kthe upper container section 19 because of the interengagement between the notches 109 and the upper ends of the abutments 101, counterclockwise rotation of the oper-ating member 77 is prevented. Also, in the shipping position the stops of the operating member 77 engage the abutments 101 on the upper container section 19 to prevent clockwise rotation of the operating member (FIG. 9). Thus, the operating member is prevented from rotating and is itself locked in the shipping position.

To move the operating member 77 ou-t of the shipping position, it is only necessary for the user to depress the locking member 103 by urging the latter axially inwardly toward the shoulder 65 against the biasing action of the spring 97 with one hand. This lowers the projections 111 so that the latching portions 127 can be moved thereover without interference from the projections, Thus, with the locking lmember 103 so depressed, the other hand of the user is employed to pivot the operating member 77 to either the locking or releasing position. It is important to note that it requires both hands of the user to move the operating member out of the shipping position, thereby making it much more difficult to inadvertently open the container 15 during handling thereof. It is virtually impossible to inadvertently move the operating member 77 from the shipping position, because to do so it is necessary that the locking member 103 be moved. axially inwardly and simultaneously therewith the operating member 77 must be pivoted counterclockwiself the operating member 77 is pivoted only about 30 degrees clockwise from the shipping position, it will be in the locking position. In the locking position further pivotal movement of the operating member 77 in either direction is restrained only by friction and by the cooperation between the balls 75 and the grooves 89. The balls 75 remain inoperative to lockingly interconnect the container sections 17 and 19.

If the operating member 77 is pivoted about 90 degrees from the shipping position, it will be in lthe releasing position shown in FIG. l0. In the releasing position the releasing grooves 87 are opposite the balls 75 to thereby allow radial inward movement of the balls to permit separation of the container sections 17 and 19. The operating member 77 is prevented from moving in the counterclockwise direction beyond the releasing position shown in FIG. by the engagement of the stops 115 with the abutments 101 as shown. The operating member can, however, be pivoted clockwise to the locking position and/or the shipping position. However, to move the operating member to the shipping position, it is necessary to again depress the locking member 103 to lower the projections 111 to allow the latching portions 127 to move thereover.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, many changes, modifications and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art lwithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a container, the combination of:

first and second container sections;

a movable operating member mounted on said first container section for movement relative thereto between a first position and a second position;

releasable connecting means responsive to said movable operating member being in said first position to lockingly interconnect said container sections and responsive to said movable operating member being in said second position to K.allow separation of said container sections;

a locking member mounted on said first container section adjacent said movable operating member for movement toward said first container section and outwardly away from said first section;

biasing means for urging said locking member outwardly away from said first container section;

said movable operating member having a latching portion thereon overlying at least a portion of said locking member and urging said locking member toward said rfirst container section against the force of Said biasing means; and

locking means at least partially on said locking member and lockingly engageable with said latching portion on said movable operating member for releasably locking said movable operating member in said first position thereof whereby movement of said locking member toward said rst container section against the force of said biasing means releases said latching portion and allows movement of said movable operating member to the releasing position thereof.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a projection on said locking member which is lockingly engageable with said latching portion of said movable operating member in said first position thereof.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said movable operating member is movable along a path between said first and second positions thereof and said locking means includes a projection on said locking member lockingly engageable with said latching portion of said movable operating member in said first position thereof for preventing movement of said movable operating member from said first position in one direction along said path and abutment means for preventing movement of said movable operating member in the other direction along said path whereby said movable operating member is retained in said first position thereof.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking member is generally annular in plan and said movable operating member is mounted for pivotal movement within said annular locking member between said first and second positions thereof and said biasing means includes a spring intermediate said first container section and said locking member.

5. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second container sections define an enclosure having a peripheral wall and said combination also includes a continuous elongated flexible member extending at least a substantial distance around the interior of said peripheral wall of said enclosure, means for securing said fiexible member to said peripheral wall at a plurality of locations therealong, said peripheral wall of said container having opening means therein through which :a portion of said elongated flexible member extends to define a handle for said enclosure.

6. ln a container for a reel, the combination of:

first and second container sections interconnectible to form an enclosure for a reel;

means for defining a centrally disposed hub within said enclosure;

an operating member mounted on said first container section for movement relative thereto between first and second positions;

container locking means responsive to said operating member being in said first position to lockingly interconnect said container sections and responsive to said operating member being in said second position to allow separation of said container sections; and

operating member locking means responsive to said operating member being in said first position for automatically and positively locking said operating member in said first position to thereby prevent movement of said operating member to said second position without first releasing said operating member locking means.

7. A combination as defined in claim 6 wherein said locking means includes means for preventing release of said locking means in response to a force tending to move said operating member from said first position to said second position.

8. A combination as defined in claim 6 wherein said operating member is movable in a rst direction in moving from said first position to said second position, said locking means includes releasing means movable in a second direction to a releasing position to release said locking means to thereby permit movement of said operating member from the first position to the second position, said second direction being different from said first direction.

9. A combination as defined in claim 8 wherein Said second direction is generally transverse to said first direction.

10. In a container for a reel, the combination of first and second container sections interconnectible to form an enclosure for a reel;

means for defining a centrally disposed hub within said enclosure;

an operating member mounted on said first container section for movement relative thereto along a rst path between first and second positions;

container locking means responsive to said operating member being in said rst position to lockingly interconnect said container sections and responsive to said operating member being in said second position to allow separation of said container sections;

locking means for positively locking said operating member in said first position;

said locking means including a locking member mounted on one of said container sections for movement along a second path between a locking position in which at least a portion of said locking member is interposed in said first path to positively prevent movement of said operating member from said first position to said second position and a releasing position in which said locking member leaves said first path unobstructed to thereby permit movement of said operating member from said first position to said second position; and

means for releasably retaining said locking member in said locking position.

-11. In a container for a reel, the combination of:

first and second container sections interconnectable to form an enclosure for a reel;

means defining a centrally disposed hub within said enclosure;

an operating member mounted on said first container section for movement relative thereto between first, second and third positions;

container locking means responsive to said operating member being in either of said first and second positions for lockingly interconnecting said container sections and responsive to said operating member being in said third position to allow separation of said container sections; and

locking means responsive to said operating member being in said first position for automatically and positively locking said operating member in said first position to thereby prevent movement of said operating member to either of said second and third positions without first releasing said locking means.

12. A combination as defined in claim 11 wherein said operating member is mounted on said first container section for movement along a path between said positions container section into the path of said operating member, mounted on said lrst container section for movement toward and away from the first container section and means for biasing said locking member outwardly of said first container section into the path of said operating member said locking member defining an abutment for preventing movement of said operating member along said path from said first position to said second position.

13. A combination as defined in claim 11 wherein said locking means includes a locking ring mounted on said first container section and means to substantially retain said locking ring against rotation relative to said first container section, said operating member including a rotatable member mounted within said locking ring for rotation between said positions relative to said first container section and said locking ring, said locking means also including a first latching portion on the outer surface of the locking ring, a second latching portion on said operating member engageable with the outer surface of said locking ring and biasing means for urging said locking ring outwardly into engagement with said first latching portion, said latching portions being engageable in said first position to lock the operating member against rotation relative to said locking ring.

14. In a reel container, the combination of:

first and second container sections;

means for releasably interlocking said container sections to form va container for a reel;

means for defining a centrally disposed hub within the container;

said first container section including means defining inner peripheral wall means for circumscribing the reel;

a continuous elongated at least partially flexible member extending at least a substantial distance around the exterior of said inner peripheral wall;

said first container section including means defining outer peripheral wall means at least partially circumscribing the inner peripheral wall, said flexible member being positioned between said inner and outer peripheral wall means;

means for retaining the flexible member between said inner and outer peripheral wall means; and

said outer peripheral wall of said container having opening means therein through which a portion of said elongated flexible member extends to define a handle for the container.

15. A combination as defined in claim 14 wherein said outer peripheral wall means includes at least two spaced wall sections and said opening means includes generally opposed slots in said wall sections whereby said portion of said elongated flexible member extends through said slots to define said handle.

16. A combination as defined in claim 14 wherein said elongated flexible member includes a flattened tube formed into an endless loop and extends completely around the exterior of said inner peripheral wall.

17. A combination as defined in claim 14 wherein said opening means includes a plurality of spaced openings in said peripheral wall and said strap extends through each of said openings to define a plurality of spaced handles for said container whereby said container can be stored in a plurality of different orientations and at least one of said handles will remain exposed for ready access.

18. In a container for a reel, the combination of:

first and second container sections interconnectible to form an enclosure for a reel;

means for defining a centrally disposed hub within said enclosure;

an operating member;

rneans for mounting said operating member on said first container section for pivotal movement about a pivotal axis relative to the first container section between first and second positions;

means for retaining said operating member against substantial movement relative to said first container section in a direction generally parallel to said pivotal ax1s; container locking means responsive to said operating member being in said first position to lockingly interconnect said container sections and responsive to said operating member being in said second position to allow separation of said container sections; and

operating member locking means automatically responsive to said operating member being in said first position for automatically and positively locking said operating member in said first position to thereby prevent movement of said operating member to said second position without first releasing said operating member locking means.

19. A combination as defined in claim 18 wherein said operating member pivots through no more than 360 in pivoting between said positions thereof.

20. A combination as defined in claim 18 wherein said means for retaining and said operating member locking means cooperate to at least substantially completely retain said operating member against any movement relative to said first container section when the operating member is in said first position.

21. A combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said locking member is mounted on said first container section whereby both said operating member and said locking member are mounted on said first container section.

22. A combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said first container section has an outer surface, said operating member and said locking member being exposed on said surface of said first container section in closely adjacent relationship whereby both said locking member and said operating member are conveniently available for manual manipulation.

23. A combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said locking member is lockingly engageable with said operating member to prevent said operating member from moving from said rst position to said second position, said means for releasably retaining including means for resiliently urging said locking member toward said locking position thereof.

24. A combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said locking member moves relative to said operating member and relative to said container sections in moving from said locking position to said releasing position.

25. A combination as defined in claim 11 wherein said operating member is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivotal axis between said first, second and third positions and including means for retaining said operating member against movement generally parallel to said pivotal axis.

26. A combination as dened in claim 14 wherein said means for releasably interlocking includes an operating member mounted on one of said container sections for movement relative thereto along a irst path between rst and second positions, container locking means responsive to said operating member being in said first position to lockingly interconnect said container sections and responsive to said operating member being in said second position to allow separation of said container sections, a locking member, and means for mounting the locking member for movement along a second path between a locking position in which at least a portion of said locking member is interposed in said first path to positively prevent movement of said operating member from said first position to said second position and a releasing position in which said locking member leaves ysaid rst path sufiiciently unobstructed to permit movement of said operating member from said first position to said second position, and means for releasably retaining said locking member in said locking position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 752,574 2/ 1904 ,Moses 229-46 2,442,385 6/1948 Then 16-110 3,125,215 3/1964 Kulka 206-52 3,307,688 3/1967 Wdmont 206-52 3,340,997 9/ 1967 McCreery et al. 206-1 3,343,666 9/1967 Mathus 206--52 FOREIGN PATENTS 613,140 11/1960 Italy.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, Primary Examiner. 

